


Somersault

by MissMarquin, theangryuniverse



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: AU, Acrobatics, Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Gymnastics, Modern, Modern Era, Smut, They are still youkai, This will be dirty as hell, i don't know why, no really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-07-27 14:54:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16221419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMarquin/pseuds/MissMarquin, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theangryuniverse/pseuds/theangryuniverse
Summary: Upon seeing Sesshoumaru Taisho on television as a child, Rin Kitagawa knew that Acrobatic Gymnastics would be her future. But after year's of competing in Women's Pairs, her world is turned upside-down when she loses her partner and gains a new one-- none other than the man who inspired her in the first place! The Acrobatic Gymnastics AU that no one asked for.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One night a friend was depressed, and knowing their love for masculine dancer thighs, I somehow came across Men's Acrobatic Gymnastics, while searching for ballerinas instead. So of course, I sat down and watched the men's group finals and the moment I saw the Russian team come out in shorts, a certain someone told me that this story had to happen.

_**In the Beginning** _

  
  


* * *

 

 

Rin’s eyes were _glued_ to the television screen.

Akane Kitagawa looked over the edge of her book, regarding her daughter. Rin wasn’t one to usually be so enthralled with whatever was on the screen, but whatever her husband had flipped the station to had captured her completely.

Akane leaned over to her husband. “What did you put on?”

“The game starts in an hour, and I was expecting some sort of pre-game entertainment… but it’s just gymnastics instead--”

“Shh!” Rin suddenly hissed. Akane and her husband looked to her, only to find her glaring harshly at the two of them. Akane blinked, before reaching over to the table and putting her glasses back on.

And then she saw it, a group of men on the television, stacked on top of each other as they threw each other around, and balanced on their hands. The looked almost superhuman, and Akane had never seen anything quite like it-- it wasn’t the standard form of gymnastics.

“Acrobatic Gymnastics,” Rin whispered in awe, as if she knew she was about to ask.

“ _Don’t try this at home_ ,” Akane heard the announcer say on screen, chuckling slightly at the idea of it. “ _Sesshoumaru Taisho has been at this for nearly two decades. His strength and poise is second to none-- literally. There is no one better in the entire world.”_

Rin turned back to them, a wide grin splashed across her face, and already Akane anticipated the words that were about to come out of her mouth. And already, she didn’t like them.

“Mother, what if I--”

“Absolutely not,” Akane said, immediately quashing the idea. “Look how _dangerous_ that is!”

And to her surprise, Rin didn’t even look angry, or disappointed. Rin merely shrugged, turning back to the television, falling back under whatever spell it held her in previously. The men’s team finals had finished, switching gears and moving into pairs.

To her left, her husband shook out the newspaper with a sigh, and said, “You know she won’t stop asking.”

“Of course not,” Akane replied. “The answer will remain the same.”

And it did. Every time Rin asked her about it, she immediately shut down the idea with an emphatic _no_. Akane gave her every reason.

_What if you broke your back?_

_What if you were dropped, or worse-- fell on your head?_

And then one day, she slept in a little late, and after coming down the stairs in only her robe, she found Rin in the living room. Furniture pushed to the side, as she kicked herself over in a messy backwards somersault.

The girl tumbled right into the wall, knocking over an antique vase, which fell to the ground in a crash. But Rin only bounced back immediately with a laugh, moving to try again.

And that was how Akane Kitagawa knew that she and her husband were absolutely _fucked_.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Acrobatic Gymnastics is different than Artistic (the variety that most people know and love, ie. on the Olympics ad such). I urge everyone interested to please go watch some! Format includes Men's pairs, Men's group (of four), Women's pairs, Women's group (of three) and Mixed Pairs (one woman, one man). The focus is heavily on dance related elements, tossing and throwing, and of course, flexibility and balance.


	2. Changes and Utter Bullshit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why are they still youkai? 
> 
> Well, why not?

_**Changes and Utter Bullshit** _

 

* * *

 

 

“Absolutely not!”

Inukimi sighed, pressing her fingers against her temple, pressing lightly to alleviate the headache that was sure to come. “Rin-chan, I know that you’re comfortable with--”

“ _Comfortable_?” Rin snapped. “Kagome isn’t just comfortable, she’s been my partner for _years_. And you’re going to what, swap us out?”

“Sometimes it’s necessary,” her coach told her.

Rin was _pissed_. She hadn’t even changed into her leotard yet, when Inukimi had accosted her at the door, calling her into the office. To tell her what? That she _wasn’t_ going to be competing with Kagome that season? What bullshit.

She and Kagome had been partners since they debuted in their Junior years, and they had intended on staying as such through their Senior level as well. You couldn’t fake the level of trust that there was between them, and you’re being slung through the air and tossed around like a hacky sack-- that trust was needed.

“And so what, I just don’t compete this season?”  


“I have no idea where you got that idea,” Inukimi retorted with a huff. “Of course you’ll compete, we’ll just find you a new partner.”

“As if those grow on trees.” Sure, there were plenty to choose from within the club, but no one that she would ever consider working with. And the one that she would? Well, Sango was attached at the hip with Miroku, so almost immediately she right back at square one.

She was too tired for this. Up at four in the morning for a run, downed a quick breakfast and then straight to the gym for practice, she just didn’t have the energy to even _think_ about something like this, let alone change her entire strategy for the rest of the year.

“Kagura-san,” Inukimi suggested casually, moving around to sit at her desk.

At that, Rin snorted. “Girl might be a decent base, but she doesn’t know a _flag_ from a _static hold_. Have you seen her lines? She can hold them straight, but she’s about as loose as a plywood board.”

“How about Yura-san?”

“That flashy bitch? Her only priority is making sure that her ass is front and center, perfect for those sex-starved men bingeing _ESPN_.”

“What about _mixed pairs_?”

Rin paused at that, throwing her an incredulous look. “What?” That definitely wasn’t what she had thought would be the next suggestion. She had expected Inukimi to go through every available partner, to which Rin would snap back any reason she could think of against them.

“I only do women’s pairs.”

“You only do women’s pairs, because Kagome was so well suited for you,” Inukimi corrected. “I’ve always thought that you’d be a better fit for mixed, but you’re quite stubborn.”

“That stubbornness brought home a national title.”

“I didn’t say it was without merit.”

Rin crossed her arm over her chest and plopped into the chair before her desk, too antsy to stand around any longer. “Who are you swapping her to anyhow? It’s Ayame, isn’t it? She’ll have her senior debut next year, and Kagome would be a good choice to settle her in with--”

“She’s being paired with Inuyasha,” Inukimi cut in.

Rin’s mouth snapped shut, surprised yet again. _Inuyasha_? The uncouth, loud, sailor’s mouth of a man that _dared_ call himself the King of mixed pairs? That Inuyasha? Rin burst out laughing, though Inukimi didn’t find it so funny.

“Kagome is going to eat that man alive. She’ll have him running before the month is over.”

“Oh, I’m counting on that. With Kikyou retiring, he needs to be kept on a short leash, and Kagome is perfectly suited for it.”

Rin considered this, pressing her fingers together in thought. “But mixed pairs? Isn’t her build a little to whispy for that?" Kagome wasn't too thin, per se, but she didn't have the elegance that one usually saw in mixed pairs. Like Rin, she was far more suited for flexibility shows, versus dancing around.

“It won’t make any difference. Enough of the subject change, I called you in here to discuss yourself, not Kagome.”

“You’re mental, if you think I’ll do mixed.” Rin stood and grabbed her duffel from the ground, slinging it over her shoulder.

“Then you can find another club.”

At that, Rin paused at the doorway, throwing a dangerous look over her shoulder. “You’d transfer me?”

“No, you’d find yourself one. On your own.”

She’d been at the _Jidai_ Gymnastics Metroplex since she was ten. Her parents had moved to Tokyo, just for her to train there. They had given up _everything_ on her stupid, willful dream. “So that’s my option?” Rin breathed. “That I don’t have one?”

“A huge part of gymnastics Rin, is that things change. Just like how you aren’t a young girl anymore, you aren’t destined to have the same partner forever.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous or not, you have your options.” Inukimi let out a long sigh. “Just so you know, Kagome wasn’t happy about it either, so it’s not as though you’re alone in this venture. Instead of thinking of this as some sort of horrific thing, think about how this might boost your career. You’re one of my best Rin-- it’s not as if you’ll get worse. You can only go up.”

“And if I stay?” Rin asked, “who would you pair me with?”

Inukimi’s hesitation wasn’t what Rin wanted to hear. It meant that she was still working through things herself, which meant that maybe this wasn’t so much a well-thought out venture, but one that was randomly decided. Finally, she said, “There are a few options I’m working through.”

Rin shot her a glare, knowing that the woman was lying straight to her face. “You know what?” she finally spat, “I don’t care. Do whatever you want. Just know that while I _agree_ , it’s only because you’re _forcing_ me to. And I’m not doing it easily.”

“Rin, since when have you _ever_ done anything with ease?” Inukimi smiled sweetly at her, and Rin rolled her eyes.

Pulling herself from the chair and slinging her gym bag across her shoulder, she left the office, throwing an incredibly vulgar hand gesture at her coach.

Inukimi sighed. “If she weren’t as brilliant as she is…” And with that, she lit a cigarette, looking wistfully at the photograph of her late husband upon her desk.

It was time for her to visit her son.

Little did she know that her son was thinking the same.

  


* * *

 

On the other side of town, a rather pissed daiyokai stormed out of the hall and right into his trainer’s office, and before he could even say a word, Myouga beat him to it.

“If this is about your formal complaint--”

“Which you’ve done _nothing_ about, I’ll remind you.” Sesshoumaru slammed his fist on the desk, right next to where the little flea stood.

“Jakotsu-san is harmless,” Myouga started with, but was immediately interrupted by the other man.

“If your idea of harmless is being constantly groped, then you and I need to have a _very_ different conversation.”

“Your father worked with him for years.”

“And then he switched to pairs. You’ve never wondered why?”

At that, Myouga gave him a sly smirk. “It sure as hell wasn’t because of Jakostu.” Sesshoumaru frowned at that, immediately thinking of Izayoi-san. “And let me tell you, her blood always tasted--”

“Switch him immediately,” Sesshoumaru demanded. “I don’t care with who, just switch him.”

Myouga sighed, stalking across his desk and falling into a specially made chair, the size of a peanut. “There’s no one else qualified for groups,” he said.

“Then find one. Scalp someone from another club, I _don’t care_. I refuse to work with that…” He paused, letting out something that sounded an awful lot like a snarl-- “I don’t even know if I could call him a man.”

“The best I could do is swap you to pairs,” Myouga told him. “You work well enough with Kouga-san already in groups, and he’s looking to move into pairs.”

Sesshoumaru gawked at him, genuinely _gawked_ at such an incredulous idea. “Pairs,” he deadpanned. “With the damned wolf.”

The flea youkai shrugged. “As I said, you two work well together, you always have.”

“I picked group because it’s honorable,” Sesshoumaru said to him. “It shows strength and only the powerful are--”

Myouga laughed at him. “Of _course_ that’s why you’re a gymnast,” the little man said. “At least your father saw artistry where he looked.”

“The only place my father looked, was down the leotard of a certain woman.”

“And look at where it got him,” Myouga said with a wistful sigh.

Sesshoumaru’s mood immediately soured. “So my options are to either continue with men’s group, and learn to _deal_ with Jakostu, or opt for men’s pairs with the damned wolf.”

Myouga gave him a side along glare. “ _That damned wolf_ has three decades of experience on you, and a better grasp of it overall. Not everything is for honor and strength, you dumb pup. Do what Kouga-san did and learn from your father.”

“There’s another option you haven’t considered,” Sesshoumaru suddenly said, cracking his knuckles lightly.

“Oh?” Myouga raised an eyebrow at him, seemingly amused. Sesshoumaru _nearly_ smiled, because he knew the second that the next words left his mouth, the flea’s demeanor would drastically change.

“I quit.” They were impulsive words, and _no_ , he wasn’t really thinking about them. But damned he’d be to keep up with his current group. Jakotsu constantly groping him as they trained and practiced, and Bankotsu turning a blind eye. Kouga waving it off, telling him that it wasn’t a big deal. Maybe he should even be _flattered_. Were a woman in his position, it would be a wildly different scenario, and if he could have his way, he would have _eviscerated_ the man years ago.

But this wasn’t the feudal era anymore, and murdering those that offended you was heavily frowned upon. Sesshoumaru had lived to see a lot, and while society had changed and flourished, that was one thing that he had never quite liked.

And Myouga just _looked_ at him, like he couldn’t comprehend what he had just said. “ _Quit_?” he repeated, tasting the word. Sesshoumaru stood and turned to leave for the door. It was time to change, pack his locker and go _anywhere_ else. “Where would you even go?” Myouga yelled after him, not in anger, but panic. Good. The flea _should_ panic. “There’s not a single club that would take you!”

Sesshoumaru paused and considered this for a moment-- Myouga wasn’t _wrong_. He was known for being difficult to work with, and many coaches had deemed him too much trouble than he was worth. However, the flea had forgotten about one person--

He turned and leaned against the door frame lazily, crossing his arms over his chest. “Have you forgotten about my mother?” And with that, he turned and left the sputtering youkai behind him.

Truth be told, he would rather eat his own foot, than go to his mother’s club, but anything was a better option than enduring constant harassment from his club mate. Even if it meant with dealing whatever his mother would throw at him, and he already knew that she’d do her _damnedest_ to make his life miserable.

 _It’s what mothers do_ , she’d tell him with a haughty smile, lighting up a cigarette that she shouldn’t be smoking.

He never would have thought that his mother would be the preferable outcome.

His father was laughing at him, from his grave.

 

 

* * *

 

Two days after her argument with Rin, the last person Inukimi thought she’d see strolling into her office, was her son. But there he was, leaning against the door frame, his gym bag slung over his shoulder. She didn’t need to imagine her girls _swooning_ at the sight of him, she could see their ogling right through her office windows. And she must have looked like a fish, her cigarette hanging from her lips with careless abandon. Inutaisho would have hated the habit.

“Mother, what a disgusting habit,” Sesshoumaru said, his lip curling. He pinched the bridge of his nose, no doubt annoyed by the smell of the smoke. Her lips twitched upwards the _tiniest_ of bits. Always so amusing, at the worst of times. And so like his father.

“My son,” she said, refusing to put out the offending thing. “I was just thinking I should visit you.” The only time that they ever saw each other, was at events, and rarely even then. She coached a different club and they weren’t known for being close.

He stepped into the room properly, dropping his bag onto the floor and falling into the seat.

“To what do I owe the honor of your company?” she asked him, humor creeping into her voice. Her son wasn’t type to seek her out, unless he needed something… and the idea that he _needed_ something from her had sparked her interest.

“I have found myself tired of my current team,” he told her, and then he paused. Leaning forward, he snatched the cigarette from her mouth and put it out on his boot, before throwing the butt into the wastebasket.

Instantly she frowned. “I find that hard to believe.”

Except that she didn’t. Jakotsu was notorious for his _personality_ , and she was surprised that her son had put up with Jakotsu with as long as he had. The moment that her husband had found an out, he had taken it.

She watched her son consider his next words carefully. Finally, Sesshoumaru said, “There must be room on one of your male groups.”

Inukimi hummed at the thought. “That’s quite the assumption. That old flea run you out finally? And after everything he’s done for you.” She tutted disapprovingly.

“That _old flea_ wouldn’t take my complaint seriously, so as far as I’m concerned,he brought my leaving upon himself.”

“As you know, I only have one male group. I highly doubt that you would want to be on it.”

“I…” But then her son hesitated, like the next words that followed would make him physically ill. He closed his eyes and forced them out. “I am willing to work with him, if need be.”

Inukimi threw her head back, barking out a laugh. She opened her cigarette carton and pulled out one more, lighting it despite Sesshoumaru’s glare of disapproval. His nose flared at smoke, as she took a drag and blew it back out. “You and I both know that even the end of the world, wouldn’t be enough to make you tolerate your brother.”

“Inuyasha is barely my brother,” he snapped, causing her to smirk.

“See? Case in point. No, I won’t let you work with him. I refuse to jeopardize a national title, just because you insist on unnecessary pissing contests.”

“Then move him elsewhere,” he hissed. “I’m far better than he is, and more suited to groups. Go let him frolic around with women.”

Suddenly, and idea struck her. “No, I think I should let _you_ frolic around.”

“I--” But then he cut himself short, looking confused. “What?”

“ _Mixed pairs_ ,” she said, knocking the butt of her cigarette into an ashtray, before taking another drag. “I don’t have room on the men’s group, and I have enough male pairs. Luckily for you, however, one of my girls has recently lost her partner, and you would be a perfect fit.”

“ _Perfect fit_ ,” he snarled. “Why on earth would I do mixed pairs?”

“You can go back to Myouga-san, and Jakostu’s wandering hands, if you’d prefer.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “I won’t lose anything, in the end.” Truthfully, she would lose a _lot_ , because it wasn’t every day that her son came knocking on her door, but there was no way in the seven hells she would ever admit that to him.

“I think that you would like her.” She actually had idea if he and Rin would get along, but if he was anything like her husband… well, they’d be birds of a feather.

“What, the way that Father liked _her_?”

He meant it as an insult, which just made Inukimi sigh. “ _Izayoi_ ,” she started with tersely, “was a far better partner for him than I ever was.”

“On the performance floor, you mean,” he bit out, but she made no point to correct him. Many thought it odd that she didn’t hate the woman that her husband eventually left him for, but how could she? She had cheated on him first, despite their admiration for each other. And in the end, Izayoi had only brought out the best in him, on and off of the court, so to speak.

“You know, if you’re going to compete in this club again, I will not stand for you saying such crass things about _my best friend_.”

Sesshoumaru jutted his bottom lip out like a seven-year-old, and Gods above, the boy could pout. Too bad she had become entirely immune to it over the centuries. “That’s my offer, Sesshoumaru. Either you do pairs with Kitagawa Rin-san, or you don’t compete here at all.”

“Kitagawa-san,” he repeated, thinking… but there was no recognition whatsoever. Inukimi rolled her eyes. Her son had never cared for the women’s side of the sport, so he likely had no idea who she was. An absolute pity.

“Seven in the morning, tomorrow. If you want to compete, you’ll be there, no ifs, ands or buts.” She finished her cigarette and dropped the butt in the trash. “Now get out.”

Thankfully, her son knew better than to argue with her. Without a word, he grabbed his bag and left her.

But if she knew her son as well as she thought she did, his curiosity would get the better of him. He would be there _before_ the call time.

  


* * *

 

It had been a long day. It wasn’t often that he felt tired, but he was absolutely _wasted_. From walking out on Myouga and the club he had competed with for over _a_ _decade_ , to dealing with his mother and her shrewd negotiating tactics, _if_ you could call them that.

Mixed Pairs. The idea of it was absolutely ridiculous.

He _only_ competed with men, and it was based on strength and power. These were things that he had with abundance. When it came to competing with a female partner… well…

He didn’t consider himself particularly _graceful_ , nor did he like the idea of taking an artistic turn. It wasn’t the kind of gymnast that he had ever wanted to be.

Still, curiosity prodded at him, and like the stupid boy that he was, he pulled out his phone and opened up _Youtube_. Punching in the girl’s name, he quickly found that she had never done mixed either, solely competing in women’s pairs, or the odd women’s group. She and her partner, Kagome Higurashi had brought home _six_ gold medals, and a slew of other podium placements over the years they had been at his mother’s gym.

Impressive, but there was _one_ tiny problem that his mother hadn’t bothered to mention to him.

Rin Kitagawa-san was _human_ , and that was just something that he refused to entertain.

But then he made the mistake of accidentally tapping on a video, and then it started playing. The music was awful, but Rin proved to be a powerful force of nature, providing the base for the routines that she competed with.  
  
And then there was the problem with her leg muscles, and the fact that he just _couldn’t look away_. He could imagine his father there, laughing, tears in his eyes as he considered his son with amusement. Immediately, he shut his phone down and threw it across the bed, laying back.  
  
But it didn’t matter, the damage was done. He pinched his nose and closed his eyes. “Gods above, I’m fucked.”

Because he already knew that he’d be there well before seven o’clock the next morning, finding out everything that he could about the stupid girl.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rin competed almost solely in Women's pairs as a base (the girl that holds the other in balance portions). Switching to be a flier in mixed pairs will be a challenge, since they two are actually wildly different, and require completely different skills.


	3. A (Semi-) Teenaged Mess of Nerves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had always thought it'd be fun to give Keiko from my other story Songbird, a cameo in another story. Well, here she is, swapping her tea for coffee.

 

_**A (Semi-) Teenaged Mess of Nerves** _

* * *

 

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be drinking non-fat?”

“ _Mixed pairs_ , Keiko-san,” Rin spat, grabbing the coffee cup from the barista, and sitting at the high-top bar, next to the espresso machines. “What is that woman thinking?”

“Apparently that you’d be better at mixed pairs,” the woman replied, rolling her eyes as she went back to preparing the next drink. Rin had frequented _The UnderGrounds_ since she was young, and Keiko had been a permanent fixture there since she started training in Tokyo. She’d owned the place for literally decades, and was considered a rarity amongst the youkai populace-- most of her kind had been around long enough to hold positions of power and authority. She had always told Rin that she preferred a simpler life, and that she liked to _people watch_.  

“Keiko-san, that’s--”

“What’s the difference?” the woman asked her, pulling a mug out from under the steam wand. “Between women’s and pairs? And I don’t mean to sound rude, I just honestly don’t know.”

Rin gawked at her. “ _Everything_. It’s the same discipline, but the style is different. With women it’s more about poise and flexibility, but when you’re with a man, it’s--”

“About their strength, right?” Rin snapped her mouth shut, frowning. Well no, that wasn’t what she was going to say, but Keiko wasn’t _wrong_ . Mixed pairs had an entirely different dynamic, and a main component was the man throwing around the woman, but-- “Is that such a bad thing? What I’d kill to have a man throw _me_ around,” Keiko continued with, sighing. “Do you know how long it’s been?”

Rin didn’t know _much_ about the woman’s personal life, only that her husband had passed away. “It’s stupid,” she said, staring at her coffee. “There’s nothing graceful about being paraded around by a man.”

At that, Keiko gave her a side-along glance. “It’s only parading around, if you let him. Do you have to? What if you approached the whole thing a little differently than most do?”

The woman’s advice shone between them, and Rin had never really considered such a thing. “Keiko-san… your advice is always useful.”

“My husband told me that I should have opened a bar,” she said with a smile. “Not a coffee joint.”

“It’s not too late,” Rin said with a smirk.

“Oh my child, it’s always too late for me.” Keiko finished yet another drink, passing this one to Rin. “That one’s non-fat, not I think you need it. I just don’t want you complaining to me when you gain a pound.” Rin harrumphed at that, but took the cup anyway, pulling herself from the seat. “Is he cute at least?” Keiko asked, her eyes flashing.

Rin shrugged, slipping her gym bag over her shoulder. “Not a clue.”

“Well, keep me posted. I want to plan my television schedule accordingly.”

She knew that Keiko watched her televised events, if only as a friend, but she’d never gone out of her way to do so. “I didn’t know that you were such a fan of mine,” she teased.

The woman snorted. “Rin, do you honestly think that I watch it because of you? No, I just can’t get enough of male gymnast butts, tight and round in those little--” She paused to make a squeezing gesture with her hands and Rin made a disgusted face.

“Keiko-san!” But the woman only winked at her teasingly.

“You keep me updated, you hear?” Keiko shouted after her. Rin only waved to her, before leaving for her gym.

 

* * *

 

His mother smirked at him, the moment that he walked into the complex. _Like fucking clockwork_. And Gods above, her son looked like hell.

“I do believe that I said seven,” she said, glancing at the small watch on her wrist. “That’s in two hours.”

“I would prefer to do my stretching in silence,” he snapped, rolling his shoulders out. Such a temper, so early. Which probably meant that it wasn’t morning to him, and that he hadn’t slept a wink.

“Did you go home and research the girl?” she asked casually, smirking.  He didn’t respond, choosing to actively ignore her. And he continued to ignore her for the next several hours, not that she truly cared. The fact that he had bothered to show up at all, meant that she had won the first battle.

And then Rin walked in, looking like hell herself. Judging by the bags under her eyes, she hadn’t slept much either. Inukimi didn’t doubt one bit that the girl was still just as angry, as the day before. But… she had come in as well. Inukimi smiled.

She really was the luckiest bitch of them all.

 

* * *

 

If Rin had bothered to look to her left, when she walked into the complex, she would have seen Sesshomuaru Taisho, and literally peed her pants. But instead, she was a woman on a mission and upon throwing open the doors, she did not even notice that the man of her dreams was standing right next to her, passive-aggressively sipping his morning coffee.

“Decided to swallow your pride?” Inukimi said with a smirk, leaning back in her desk chair.

Rin didn’t bother closing the door behind her, as she stalked into her office. “It has nothing to do with pride,” Rin huffed. “My parents didn’t give up everything for me to come here, just for me to throw it away.” She paused, taking a much needed sip of her coffee. “Besides, I thought I’d try my hand at talking you out of it again.”

“It won’t work,” Inukimi said easily. “I’ll remind you that I have plenty of junior gymnasts, just waiting to make the transition into seniors-- girls that have no issue working with men.” She paused and studied Rin carefully. “Does this have anything to do with Kohaku-san?”

“ _Absolutely not_.” The words came out more heated than Rin would have liked, and she sighed. “No,” she said more calmly. “Kohaku-kun is of no consequence.”

Inukimi nodded, but Rin could tell that she didn’t quite believe her. It wasn’t as though Rin _hated_ men, she had just had an unfulfilling relationship with one. Not bad or good, just… _static_. Men were overrated and not worth the trouble. Especially when it came to competing.

Rin sighed. “So that’s really it then?” she asked. “Why don’t you just choose one of my juniors then?”

“Because I’d rather keep _you_ ,” Inukimi said, as though she were offended by the mere idea of it.

“And what are _those options_ that you’re working through?” Rin asked, remembering what the woman had said earlier. “Because I swear to God above, if you picked Kohaku-kun--”

“Of course not,” Inukimi snorted. “Actually, I didn’t manage to make a decision until yesterday--” Suddenly, her gaze drifted behind Rin, and her lips spread into a sly smile.

Before Rin could ask what her problem was, there was a deep voice from behind her. “I’m not interrupting, am I?”

“Of course not,” she said, telling him to come in. “We were just talking about you, actually. Rin-chan, I’m sure that you know of my son.”

Rin blinked. _Son_? Inukimi watched as her mind tried to lay out the details, but Rin slowly turned around, and there he was. Tall, with broad chest barely hidden with a thin tank top. He wore shorts, showing off his powerful thighs. And then his face, finely boned and aristocratic, framed by bangs and wisps of hair that escaped his ponytail.

Sesshoumaru Taisho. This was the man that had _made Rin want to do gymnastics_ . She had _posters_ of this man, plastering her childhood bedroom. Had joined fan clubs in his name, _had imagined ifs and ands with her friends, in her cusp-of-womanhood years,_ about this man. _._

Her mouth slipped open and she couldn’t find the words. Finally, she looked back to Inukimi, who smiled slyly. “You start today.”

Rin swallowed. She was _fucked_.

 

* * *

 

Rin was the definition of a twittering, twitching _mess_ . Of course she had known that her coach was his mother, but he was signed to another club, and she honestly, would have never thought that she would properly meet him. Aside from sneaking the occasional look at his butt, during competitions, this was the _closest_ she had come to him.

And he was her new partner. She was going to have to _touch_ him, and he was going to have to hold her, and he was a youkai and--- And there were literally one hundred thousand things that could go instantly wrong.

Focusing with a male base would have been hard enough, but how could she manage with him? _This man had been a fixture in her fantasies through her teenage years_. God above, this would be the death of her.

“You’re taller than I would have thought,” he said, walking back to the floor.

Rin barely heard him, and when she registered the sentence, she replied with an unintelligent sounding, “ _Eh_?” She was far from tall, but she supposed that she had a bigger, stockier build than most female gymnasts. Still, she was a shrimp, compared to his frame.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and appraised her. “You’re taller than I would have thought. I watched some of your performances last night, and you look way shorter on the television.”

“ _You watched me_ ,” she breathed.

“I watched _your performances_ ,” he reiterated. “There was no use coming into this _completely_ blind. It shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”

“Because you’re used to throwing men around,” she said immediately, mustering the courage to finally say more than several words at a time.

He gave her a very long, measured look. “I’ll tell you now, I _don’t_ want to be here. I want _nothing_ to do with mixed pairs, and the only reason I accepted, was because I had _had_ it with my current team.”

“Oh, so you’ve finally had it with Jakotsu then?” Everyone knew of the man’s wandering hands and sexual inclinations. His current club was the only one that had kept him on for more than three years.

“Does _everyone_ know--”

“I promise you though, feeling’s mutual. The _only_ reason I’m here, is because my partner’s been swapped out for mixed pairs herself. Let’s not make this more painful than it needs to be.” 

“So we have an agreement then,” he said to her. “Neither of us want to do this, so we’ll make the best of it.”

Rin had to _really_ hide the fact that she _definitely_ wanted to do this, now that her literal idol was standing next to her. But instead, she kept her face neutral and nodded. “Well, then let’s get to work, before your mother snaps at us.”

He snorted at the term mother, but motioned to the center of the club. Thankfully, it was too early for there to be _too_ many people there. She knew that once more of her mates showed up, the more staring there would be, and as if it wasn’t _fucking awkward enough, already_.

Rin sighed, pulling off her track pants and chalking up her legs. “Stretching first, I suppose, and then basic elements? I would venture to say we’re going to need to get a feel of working with each other, and I have been the flier since I was literally a kid.”

“Yes, your stocky build is more suited to being on the bottom.”

Rin paused at his wording, turning red. Gods above, what was wrong with her? If Sango were here, she’s be laughing behind a barely concealed smirk. She leaned over, reaching for her feet, in order to hide her red face.

They finished their stretching in strained silence. Well, strained on Rin’s part. She was a flustering blur of emotions, ranging from embarrassed to even shame. And she knew youkai well enough to _hope_ that he couldn’t smell it on her, because then what would she say to explain herself?

_Hi yes, my name is Rin, and I practically worship the ground that you walk on. I apologize profusely for all those dirty thoughts I had of you, in my youth. Because you know, I don’t have those anymore._

She was wondering if this was worth the hole that she was quickly digging around herself.

“Should we start with balances?” she finally asked, rolling out her joints. “Static holds, or just getting a grip on our weight displacement?”

“Hn,” he said, nodding. “Just do a simple step-up, into a back somersault,” he said, crouching onto one knee. “Nothing fancy to begin with.”

Rin agreed, stepping towards him carefully. It was a simple move, with a basic lift. She would flip backwards and then land effortlessly on the floor. It was a move that level-two juniors would be practicing. She placed her hands onto his shoulders, gripping loosely as she placed her foot into his cradled hands. He lifted her with excessive force though, and instead of being lifted effortlessly into the air, she lost her balance and toppled over backwards.

She let out a yelp, landing on her hands. Nothing hurt really, just more surprised. Sesshoumaru stood with a grunt, and she couldn’t tell if he was annoyed, or not.

“You’re so light,” he said, frowning.

“Compared to your hulking team of manly-men, then yes, I would suppose so,” she bit out, pulling herself to her feet. She had known that it would take a fair bit of adjustment to make this work, but it seemed like it would be harder than normal. He narrowed his eyes at her, and she sighed. “It’s not just you-- it’s been a long while since I’ve done a lot of these moves. My muscles aren’t used to them, and as you said, I’m more accustomed to being a base. You weren’t wrong.”

“Then we keep trying.”

Rin looked at him, a faint smile crossing her lips. Well, at least he wasn’t giving up _yet_. She hadn’t totally scared him off, which was more of a relief that she would have ever admitted. “Alright then, take two. Maybe it won’t be an immediate failure.”

And so, he knelt down again, and she readied her stance.

 

* * *

 

It was an immediate failure. Over and over and over again.

Either she lost her balance, or he lifted her too high. Her feet were smaller in comparison with the men, so he didn’t always get a good grasp, and that combined with the fact that she literally _weighed nothing_ , meant that she was usually sent flying.

He had to admit it though, the girl had guts, and she wasn’t planning on quitting any time soon.

Yet again, he tossed her into the air, and she went _flying_ . She managed to stick a landing this time, barely, toppling over when she finally lost her balance. She grunted as she pulled herself up… and honestly, it was the _tiniest_ bit amusing.

“I know,” she snapped, holding her hand up, “Before you say it for the literally _umpteenth_ time. ‘You’re so light’. Of course I’m light, what did you expect?”

“I’m used to tossing around one hundred and sixty pounds, not one hundred,” he said dryly.

“Well, you better figure it out, because my life is _literally_ in your hands.” She wasn’t wrong. One miscalculation that sent her flying the wrong way, and she might not be able to stick a landing, if even a bad one. She might land on her neck, or break an ankle. Or you know, _worse_.

“Learn to be more graceful,” he said instead, not wanting to deal with the brunt of the blame.

“I’m a graceful bitch,” she snapped immediately, throwing more chalk over her feet and legs. Like it would _help_ the situation any better.

“Graceful as a _donkey_ , maybe,” Sesshoumaru said, his lips spreading into a smirk, and the look that tore across Rin’s face was absolutely priceless.

“Why you--”

“I knew that it might take some work, but honestly, you two are a _mess_.” They both turned at the sound of his mother’s voice, and immediately his mood soured. To his surprise though, it was Rin that spoke up first.

“I’ve been a women’s base for literally six years. Did you think the transition back to being a top would be easy? Not to mention that oaf over there as _no_ idea how to handle throwing a woman around.”

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth for a quick retort, but his mother threw out her hand to stop him. “No, she’s right,” she said. She tutted in disapproval. “I have every confidence that you’ll eventually figure it out, but time isn’t on our side. I wanted you two out on the floor by the North American Acro Cup.”

They both froze at that, and finally he spoke. “That’s only _three months_ away.” Three months would have been nothing with a familiar partner, but between swapping that as well as style… To say that it was a hard push wasn’t accurate. This would be damn near impossible.

But his mother only sighed. “It seems that I’ll have to call in help. You two keep doing whatever it is that you’re doing for the day, and starting tomorrow… well, we’ll try a different tactic.” With that, she turned and left them, not bothering to elaborate.

Rin looked to him, holding her hand out after the woman. “Do you--?”

“I have no clue,” he replied immediately. “I never know what the woman is thinking.” With the look that she gave him, it was clear that didn’t believe him one bit, so he continued with, “We aren’t particularly _close_.”

She hummed, raising her eyebrows, chalking up her hands. Glancing at the clock on the far wall, she said, “We’ve been at this for hours, and we’ve barely made a dent. Maybe we should work on a different element.” The casual suggestion seemed odd tumbling off of her lips, especially since she seemed so frustrated by the entire situation. “What if we work on static holds instead? At least you wouldn’t be tossing me around like a hacky-sack.”

That, he could probably do. “Let’s start with a regular climb, and we’ll just practice on holding and balance.”

And then Rin looked at him uncomfortably, and he _knew_ that look. It was the look that literally every female gymnast gave him, like they were sizing him up as some sort of meal. He wasn’t remotely surprised. Honestly, it was a huge part of why he had opted to work with strictly men. But, to Rin’s credit, she seemed to shrug it off, and it was gone as soon as it had come.

“I will warn you,” she started with, biting her lip. It was kind of adorable, a thought that made him sigh the smallest of sighs. “It’s been _years_ since I’ve properly done this. Usually I’m the one holding the flier.”

“It’s alright,” he said, and he meant it. They were _both_ adjusting, and it wouldn’t do them good to hold it against her. Besides, he’d been the one unable to throw her properly. “Instead of a hand-hold, just use my shoulders for now.”

She nodded, reaching out and placing her small hands on them. Her grip tightened as she squeezed, hefting herself up, and he grabbed her foot easily, cradling it in his hands. He lifted her, feeling her position shift, as she flung her legs high and into a handstand, all her weight centered on his shoulders.

He shifted his stance slightly, setting his legs slightly apart, as he held still. Rin adjusted her grip slightly, and he risked a glance up. She was as straight as a stick, and that was a good sign, despite the strain that showed her her face.

“God above,” she grunted, her face rosey with exertion. Per _Code of Points_ , such a position had to be held for at least three seconds, before any shifts in the hold. He saw her legs move, as she split her handstand, her legs held out and splayed. Her balance was still good though, and he was _quite_ impressed by her arm strength.

For a woman who hadn’t done this particular element in a long while, she seemed to be a natural.

“Dismount, before you hurt yourself,” he found himself saying, not knowing why he really cared. If the girl damaged herself, then they wouldn’t have to compete. She didn’t respond, but he felt her twist around and towards the ground. Her hands left his shoulders, and she landed easily. “Not bad,” he found himself musing. “For all the worrying you did, you held that _really_ well.”

Rin rolled her shoulders, and then her wrists and said, “Before I performed with Kagome, I was training to be a flier.”

“So originally, you were supposed to be in mixed pairs?”

She nodded and then shrugged. “But then I started training with her, and we worked really well together. And so, we stuck.” She sighed. “I’m sorry for losing my cool with Inukimi-san earlier. Honestly, I just don’t like change.”

“That is something that I can understand,” he said quietly, and she looked at him, like he was a puzzle that she was trying to figure out. “Change, I mean. It’s annoying.”

Rin cracked a smile at that. “Yeah, I guess someone as ancient as you, doesn’t like the world changing around him so quickly.”

He was about to retort, when someone else beat him to it, letting out an exasperated, “ _Rin_!” They both looked to find another gymnast, having just walked in, her bag still slung over her shoulder. She was tall, with a refined face and dark hair, pulled into a tight ponytail. “What--”

“Let’s call it a day, yeah?” Rin said to Sesshoumaru, and before he could say something in return, Rin had whisked past him, catching her friend by the arm and pulling her from the floor. He stood there, rather dumbly, trying to figure out what had just happened.

“Well, you managed to turn it around, if only a little bit,” he heard his mother say behind him. He didn’t miss her dry tone, nor was he surprised that she had kept watching them. “That won’t change anything I’ve said though-- starting tomorrow, we try a different approach.”

“Do I even want to know what that might entail?” he asked dyly.

His mother shrugged, but shot him a smile that he _definitely_ didn’t like. “So…” she said next, the word dragging out. “What do you think?”

“She’s loud, annoying and has the mouth of a damn sailor,” he said immediately. Women were supposed to be dainty and polite. They weren’t supposed to throw out an expletive, every time something didn’t go their way.

“Go on,” his mother said, raising an eyebrow.

“But…” He sighed. “She’s clearly talented, even if we had issues. I can see why you thought we’d be good partners. With effort and practice, we’ll compliment each other very well.”

“Why, my son, are you saying that I was _right_?”

“It will take _a lot_ of work,” he amended, not letting her bask in smug satisfaction. “And a lot of practice. Really, it’ll take a lot to be ready by the North American Acro Cup. Actually, it’ll take a damn miracle.”

His mother hummed at that, not seemingly bothered by such a prospect. “Then go work a miracle.”

And then she left him once more, and he watched as she went. _Work a miracle_ , she had told him, like it was _so_ easy.

 

* * *

 

“ _Explain_.”

“Sango, really, it’s nothing,” Rin said, as the girl pulled her into the women’s locker room. Sango held her practice in the afternoon, following into the night.

“ _Nothing_ , she says. You were holding a split-leg on top of his shoulders-- on the man that we used to literally fantasized about as young women. _That isn’t nothing_ , Rin. Now, spill the details, before I wring them right out of you.”

“Kagome isn’t my partner anymore,” she finally blurted. Sango, who had been halfway down pulling her track pants paused to look at her.

“ _What_? Why on earth?”

“Because Kikyou is retiring,” Rin sighed. “And Inuyasha needs a new partner.”

“And so she picks Kgaome?” Sango tutted, moving back to finish changing. “I don’t understand it.”

“Really, I think that it’s more about Mixed Pairs than anything. The juniors that are debuting this year will make great Women’s pairs, but that’ll leave Coach without the other. With Kikyou retiring, all she has is you and Miroku.”

Sango finished pulling on her leotard, leaning against the lockers. “So how does that explain _Sesshoumaru Taisho_ ?” His name rolled of her lips, like he was some goddamn spectacle. “He’s basically the _God_ of Acro. I know that he’s Coach’s son, but isn’t he signed somewhere else?”

“Apparently not. I have no idea how, but he’s been called in to be my partner.”

Sango smiled devilishly. “But I mean, that’s a _good_ thing, right? Not only is he the best, he’s you know… _the best_.”

Rin rolled her eyes at that. “I spent the entire morning working the basics with him-- he might be the best, when it comes to Men’s Groups, but you can tell that he’s never worked with a woman. It’ll take a lot of adjustment for both of us.”

“So you aren’t calling it off, then?”

“What?”

Sango turned away from her, moving to wrap her foot tightly with a bandage. “I know you Rin, and you usually run away from the things that bother you. Instantly, _Kohaku-kun_ comes to mind. So, if I know you at all, you’ll run away from this like everything else.”

“Do you _want_ me to?”

“Of course not.” Sango knotted off the bandage, tucking it into itself and then stood. “Coach has always thought you’d be better at Mixed, and honestly, I agree with her. And judging by what I just saw, she made the right choice. I’ve _never_ seen you hold a split-leg that straight before.”

“I would have embarrassed me to fall on my face,” Rin admitted. So she had focused _really_ hard, and apparently it had worked.

“So then, he’ll bring out the best in you. _Good_.” Then Sango smiled slyly. “Besides, what did his shoulder muscles feel like? I bet you could crack a brick over them--”

“ _Sango_!”

 

* * *

 

Everyday, Rin started her day with a cup of coffee at _The UnderGrounds_. And after practice, she would finish her day there too, before taking the train back to her small apartment.

Keiko must have seen the tired and drained look on her face, because she offered her a free cup of coffee-- something the woman only did when she looked like utter shit.

“Really, Rin-chan, you look like you’ve had the roughest day possible.”

Really, it hadn’t been that rough. Sure, she’d been assigned her _idol_ as a partner, and they somehow had to find their rhythm and block a winning routine in three months. And sure, they’d tried to practice the basics, only failing so miserably that they had resorted to _static holds_ . A split-leg stand was a level one maneuver, something she had learned to do when she was _ten_.

And as if that hadn’t been embarrassing enough, Sango had basically accosted her in the locker room. She had no doubt that the girl would ask for the dirty details _every single day_ , and those dirty details would be immediately told to an even _dirtier_ man, who was attached to her hip.

“I was introduced to my partner today,” she finally said to Keiko, resting her head on the counter, defeated.

“And what, that’s a terrible thing? Is he super ugly, or something? Most of them are cute, but once in awhile, there’s one that’s better in body, than the face, if you know what I mean.”

And Rin knew she was trying to make her laugh. Instead, she sighed. “Worse, Keiko-san, it’s much worse.” Keiko, who had been steaming a cup of milk, paused and waited for her to continue. “It’s Sesshoumaru Taisho. _Sesshoumaru Taisho_ , Keiko-san. What on earth do I do?”

To her credit, the woman didn’t burst out laughing. Instead she smiled, a sly little quirk of her lips, that made her look particularly threatening. “Oh,” she breathed, “ _that_ Taisho. Well, no wonder your out of sorts.” Her light hearted words didn’t match her expression one bit.

“Keiko-san,” Rin groused, “this is serious. I could really embarrass myself, and then what? I could _never compete again_. I would be too mortified.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Keiko said, clucking her teeth, but Rin made no move to pull out of her self-pity. Finally, the woman sighed, picking up a fresh mug. “Two extra shots it is, Rin-chan. Don’t ever tell me that I don’t love you.”

Finally, Rin smiled.

Tomorrow would be a long day, but at least it would be a _new_ day.

She could work with that.

  
  



	4. When in Doubt, Call in the Big Guns

**_When in Doubt, Call in the Big Guns_ ** **_  
  
_ **

* * *

 

It wasn’t as though Inukimi never called. No, they chatted on the phone several times a week, because if there was ever someone that she called a best friend, Inukimi would be it. The irony wasn’t lost on her.

Still, the woman cocked her head to the side, as she leaned against the counter, phone tucked between her chin and her ear. Dinner couldn’t cook itself, but she couldn’t make the oven cook it faster either.

“Run that by me again?” she asked.

“I asked,  _ remember that favor that you owe me? _ ”

“You mean the one that I’ve owed you for literally a decade? I never thought you’d actually call on it.” She paused, moving to open the oven door to peer in. The chicken crackled with the heat, but she could tell that it wasn’t quite done yet. “Must be something important though, for you to want to cash it in.”

“Important, yes,” Inukimi said, her voice crackling over the line. “For once in my life, I’m at a loss as to what to do. You’re far more suited to figure this one out.”

“And why is that?”

“Because you’ve  _ lived _ this particular situation.”

The woman closed the oven door once more, standing straight. Leaning against the counter again, she pressed her chin into her hand. Oh  _ this _ was bound to be interesting. “ _ Explain _ .”

“Ever wanted to make your husband roll over in his grave? Well here’s your chance.”

At that, the woman smiled. “I’m all ears.”

 

* * *

 

Keiko-san said nothing, as she pressed Rin’s morning coffee into her hand. Rin took a big whiff, sighly deeply at the rich smell. “You were sent to me by the Gods, I’m sure,” Rin said to her, chancing a sip.

“Non-fat, like it  _ should _ be,” she said, tutting gently. “Now go on before you’re late. And don’t forget that picture. I want to see just  _ how _ tight his butt is, in his little gym shorts.”

Rin made a face. “Even if they are shorts, they’re not exactly skin tight.”

The older woman shrugged. “In my old age, I’ll take what I can get.”

Rin laughed the entire way to the door.

 

* * *

 

She reached the gym first.

And she hit the floor first, leaning over to touch her toes. Many gymnasts found this to be the worst part of the day, and incredibly tedious, but Rin loved it. The stretch pulled at her muscles, but the burn felt good early in the morning.

Sango arrived next, and for once, Rin didn’t feel like chatting. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but Rin popped in her headphones before she could get the chance. Thankfully, Sango didn’t seem miffed, instead shrugging and turning about to do her stretches alone. Rin thanked her silently for her understanding. 

She didn’t know why she was in such a weird head space, but she felt like she needed to  _ focus _ . And so she did. She went from bending over and touching her toes, to reaching from side to side, her hands crawling down her legs. Finally, into the splits, leaning forward on her arms, stretching her thigh muscles to their limits.

A hand fell into her vision, waving, and she blinked. Pulling away her headphones, she looked up, only to meet the face of Sesshoumaru. “Oh,” she blurted. “You.”

His lips tugged into a frown. “ _ You _ ,” he repeated.

“What do you want? I’m warming up.”

There was a pause, a moment where he hesitated, and she could just  _ tell _ that he was mentally collecting himself. Trying to keep his cool. She narrowed her gaze at him. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, “Let’s stretch together.”

Which caused her mouth to drop open as she gaped at him. “ _ Together _ ?” She shot a quick glance towards Sango, who looked back, her mouth curved into an amused grin. Rin glared and her friend shrank back, wisely stepping to the far side of the floor.

“It would do us good, I would think,” Sesshoumaru said carefully. “What is it that my mother would say? Create partnership and a feel for each other? Something, something, blah, etcetera.”

_ A feel for each other _ . Immediately, her mind went straight the gutter.

“So when you say together, you actually mean--” Gods above, he meant to do pairs stretching, and she wasn’t sure that she could handle that. She imagined his hands ghosting along her skin, bending her leg back as he pushed gently--  _ Oh no, that wouldn’t do at all _ .

She had to nip this in the bud, before she did something that would truly embarrass herself. “I don’t think that’s necessary.” She waved her hand to the floor beside her. “You can do whatever you need to right there.”

But he only stared at her, arms crossed over his chest. “It’s just stretching,” he said, honestly confused.  _ Men _ .  _ Youkai _ . Either, she didn’t really care.

Rin looked back up at him, her mouth open and about to retort, when she felt the spring floor bounce slightly under heavy motion. Someone was stomping across the ugly blue carpet. They both looked to the right, only to see a rather short and petite woman, stalking across the space towards them.

About ten feet away, she stopped and dropped a CD player to the floor, leaning over to hit play. Rin’s eyes narrowed, as she regarded the woman. She was older, clearly into her fifties or so, but there was something  _ very _ familiar about her face. She just couldn’t place it.

Beside her, Sesshoumaru immediately started on high alert, claws digging into his palms harshly.

The speakers began to blast a ridiculous array of guitar riffs, somewhere between rock and metal, and Rin winced slightly. Before they could say anything though, the woman raised a finger to pause them, before pointing back to the CD player. Motioning for them to wait until it was done.

She had never been a huge fan of rock music, and this was no exception. There was  _ some _ musicality to it, but she failed to see the point of playing something so loud and brash.

“ _ Eruption _ ,” the woman said simply, once the track was done. “Van Halen. This recording specifically is from a live performance in 1994. At exactly two minutes and twenty-two seconds, this will be your performance music.” She paused, her eyes roaming over them, and specifically the space between them. Her eyes narrowed. “She wasn’t joking. It seems like I have my work cut out for me.”

“She--?” Rin started, but at the exact same time her partner did.

“ _ What the actual fuck _ ,” Sesshoumaru managed to grit out. Rin could practically hear his teeth grinding.

The woman snorted, waving her hand in his direction. “Your  _ mother _ called me in to take care of…” She paused, looking them over again, rubbing at her face and sighing. “Whatever this is.”

“Who are you?” Rin asked, because Sesshoumaru didn’t have the  _ decency _ to do so himself, but to her surprise, it was he who answered.

“Izayoi,” he practically spat. The woman in question smiled slyly, before giving a mock curtsy. The youkai practically snarled back.

And Rin blinked, and then sucked in a gasp.  _ Izayoi. Izayoi Taisho. _ No wonder she had recognized her. The gymnast had been retired for two decades almost, and out of the public eye, but now that she looked past the subtle wrinkles and weariness to her face, she saw it.

“His mother,” she said coyly, but then paused. “Or rather, Step-Mother,” she amended, “not that he’d  _ ever _ admit to it. He’d rather just pretend that I don’t exist.”

Rin’s head was reeling. This entire situation was getting worse and  _ worse _ by the moment.

“Damn right,” he snapped right back.

Izayoi threw her head back and laughed, crossing her arms across her chest. “See? He never fails to impress.”

“Wait,” Rin cut in, moving to physically separate the two, before the claws came out and Sesshoumaru was on her like a cat on a mouse. “Inukimi called you here?”

“Yes, to coach you. Apparently you’re such a lost cause, that she felt that even  _ she _ couldn’t do it.”

“And so you just agreed,” Sesshoumaru asked, his tone dripping in sarcasm. To his credit though, he sounded as though he had calmed down the slightest of bits.  _ Slightest _ .

“Of course not,” the woman snapped. “I owed your mother a favor, and she decided to call it in.” She huffed at that. “Honestly, wasting it on something like this, I hope she knows there’s no taking this back.”

Rin crossed her arms. “You don’t sound very enthusiastic about this.”

“Oh, I’m incredibly enthusiastic about this,” Izayoi said, “but I’m also not holding my breath. You're not the one I’m worried about.” She shifted her gaze and pointed to Sesshoumaru. “But I’ve known him for decades, and I know that he won’t be willing in any way, whatsoever.”

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, he turned to walk away. Izayoi took a step closer and said, “That’s it? You’re leaving? I never pegged you for a quitter,  _ Sesshoumaru-sama _ .” 

 

Whatever it was in her tone, it made him stop dead. Rin didn’t miss the absolutely lethal look that crossed his face, as he turned back and stalked towards the woman. “You have  _ no right _ \--”

“To what?” she asked dryly. “Tell you what to do? Last time I checked, I’m your coach.” She watched as he opened his mouth, and she cut in again. “Now turn back around, and listen to this again, as you warm up and do your forms. And again, and again, until you’ve memorized every rise and fall of these notes. And then, tomorrow-- we start to choreograph.”

And in that moment Rin realized that there were people that could play Sesshoumaru like a fiddle. She watched him fume silently, but he didn’t move to harp back at the woman. Instead, he turned back to Rin, and dragged a hand down his face. Anything to distract himself, it seemed.

“Basic forms, then,” she said.

Izayoi smiled, knowing that he couldn’t see her face. And then she leaned over and hit the play button once more. The squealing of guitar riffs started again, filling the air.

And Sesshoumaru sighed. “My father is rolling over in his grave,” he said to her. “Laughing. Laughing at the absolute  _ absurdity _ of this.”

“But is he laughing at you? Or is he laughing with her?” She nodded towards Izayoi, who had turned and left them, heading for Inukimi’s office.

“What’s the difference?” he asked.

Rin hummed. “Let’s finish stretching before forms,” she suggested. And then paused. “I wonder how long it’ll take for the rest of the club to get tired of hearing this song.”

The mood between them eased slightly, as a hint of a smile grace his lips. He motioned for her to lie back, and she complied. Grabbing her thigh gently, he pushed it towards her chest. Rin did her best to ignore any and  _ everything _ that was currently happening.

“I don’t know,” he finally said, “but I definitely know that I don’t want to be anywhere  _ near _ my mother and that woman, right now.”

Rin blinked up at him. “Why?”

“Because I guarantee you, she’s already regretting her decision.”

Rin’s gaze narrowed slightly as she regarded him. “Are you?”

He paused, his fingers ghosting to a stop as he stopped pushing her into a stretch. But he didn’t say anything, instead changing the angle of her leg, and pressing again. Rin’s lips curved into a smirk.

He didn’t confirm anything, but he didn’t deny it either.

It was a start.

 

* * *

 

“You said that you needed my help,” Izayoi said, falling into the chair in front of the desk.

Inukimi pulled out a cigarette, settling it between her lips. “Which is why you’re here,” she said.

“What you failed to mention was the  _ amount _ of work needing to be done. Honestly Inukimi, three months? Three months to fix--” She paused to wave toward the spring floor. “--Whatever that is.”

She wasn’t angry. She was already tired, and annoyed.  _ So _ annoyed, and she had barely spent ten minutes with them. But Inukimi said nothing, only sighing tiredly as she lit the cigarette.

“You’ve dealt with  _ exactly _ ‘whatever-that-is’,” she said with a shrug. “I dare say that you dealt with worse, actually, given with how Inutaisho was. He was quite a force of nature. Thankfully, my son is more composed.”

To an outsider, it might seem strange, what the two of them had. How many women could claim to be close friends with their dead husband’s ex-wife? Izayoi couldn’t think of one. And yet, she and Inukimi had immediately become friends, despite everything between them, and that friendship would likely outlast everything.

Inukimi made a big show about calling in a favor, but the truth was that Izayoi would have helped regardless. She sighed, her head falling back and she sank into the chair. “You know that the problem won’t be that they won’t work well together, right?” she finally asked.

Inukimi’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Oh, noticed it already, did you?” She took a drag from her cigarette, saying nothing more.

And Izayoi groaned, dragging her hand down her face. Oh no, it wasn’t that they wouldn’t work well together. She could already tell that they will work  _ perfectly _ , once given the chance to get to known each other. They’ll start off like oil and water, but eventually they’ll refuse to separate.

She spared a glance at her friend once more, who only regarded her with an amused smile. And she was right, she knew  _ exactly _ what she was getting into, because she had lived this. “You can’t expect me to babysit them.”

“I wouldn’t think of asking such a thing of you.” Right, because she  _ expected it _ .

Izayoi was well and truly  _ fucked _ .

 

* * *

 

“So, Izayoi Taisho,” Sango said, sliding up next to Rin.

Rin’s head was already pressed against the cool wood of the counter top, and Keiko-san was already sighing above her. “She’s broken,” the woman said, steaming a fresh mug of milk. “She hasn’t even ordered anything.”

Sango laughed. “Does she need to order though? You can practically read her mind.”

Keiko switched from pouting, to a wicked grin, before sliding the mug in her hand right to Rin. “Already on it.”

Rin groaned from her position, before shifting slightly to look at her. “Did it hurt Keiko-san?”

At that, the woman arched a brow. “Did what hurt?”

“When you fell from heaven?”

The inuyoukai burst out laughing, moving to grab another cup. “No,” she said, pouring milk into it. “But the sun nearly blinded me when I rose up from hell.”

It was Rin’s turn to laugh, pulling herself up to a sitting position. She wrapped her hands around the cup lovingly, breathing in the blessed scent of fresh coffee. “This isn’t nonfat,” she said, when she took a sip.

Keiko shrugged. “Some people turn to the bottle. Others turn to fat.” Then she winked, before walking away to take an order.

“As I was saying,” Sango said again, cocking her head to the side. “Not only Sesshoumaru Taisho, but now the infamous Izayoi-san. Perhaps it’s a good thing that her husband is dead.”

“I can only take so many celebrities,” Rin groused. “Sango-chan, what do I  _ do _ ?”

“What can you?” She shrugged. “It’s your job.”

“What was it like?” Rin then asked. “Switching to a male partner.”

“Annoying,” her friend responded honestly. Well, that didn’t help her one bit. But Sango surprised her by continuing on. “But that was mostly because Miroku is well…  _ you know _ .” Oh, she knew. “We eventually moved past that.”

“Moved past that,” Rin repeated. “And right into his bed.”

“Damn straight,” Sango said proudly. Rin rolled her eyes.

“Which  _ definitely _ won’t happen with Sesshoumaru-sama.” Rin sipped at her coffee again. “So I’ll have to settle for only looking,” she sighed.

“Speaking of looking,” Keiko said, sliding back to them, handing Sango her own cup. “Cough up the picture.”

“Keiko-san, you might have asked for one, but I never said that I’d take it.”

“But you did, I know it.” And so the woman waited.

Rin made her wait for a long moment, before moving to fish out her phone. A few swipes across the screen before she handed it over to the woman.

“Dammit, he’s wearing a cup, isn’t he?”

“Gymnasts don’t wear cups.”

“ _ I can’t see shit _ ,” she grumbled. But she kept looking, as if the picture would change.

“Does it even matter?”

“Of  _ course _ it matters.” Keiko’s gaze flashed with offense. “I demand only the finest pictures of such a delectable male athlete.”

“ _ Then google them _ .”

Sango laughed, and then Keiko followed suit. “Why so bitter, Rin-chan?”

“It’s not  _ your _ crotch constantly in his face--”

Keiko sighed wistfully, before handing her back the phone. “Little Sparrow, I would do  _ anything _ to be in your place.”

Rin cracked a smile at the endearment. “Next time, I’ll be sure to grab one of his butt.”

Keiko winked. “That’s my girl.” And then she was off again, tending to other customers.

“Grabbing one for her, eh?” Sango said, raising an eyebrow. “Are you sure you aren’t stockpiling those for yourself?”

Rin snorted. “Why bother? I have enough posters back home.”

But Sango only smiled at her, knowingly, as she sipped at her coffee. And Rin could only groan in response, pressing her forehead back to the cool counter top.

 

* * *

 

Her skin had been so soft.

Her fingers were calloused and rough, like his own, but her legs had been smooth as silk.

He could  _ hear _ his father laughing at him, positively delighted at his current struggle. His mother would find it funny too, if only to remind him that he was  _ exactly like his father.  _ And the other woman, she would only smirk at him, a knowing twist of her lips spread across her face.

It had been a long time, since he had felt so aggravated. 

It had also been a long time, since a woman hadn’t left his thoughts. Which is why he couldn’t stop himself from opening up youtube again, this time on his television. Dressed in comfy pajamas, a bowl of cheese crackers next to him. His guilty pleasure.

“European Acro Cup, 2017.” He managed to pause, his finger wavering over the button. “What sort of hell have I fallen into?”

His father would have told him to embrace the hell; maybe he’d find happiness within it.

His mother would have told him to not be bothered by such a thing, and to reign it in.

And the other woman,  _ that one that shall not be named _ \-- Well, she’d just stand there, that stupid smirk plastered there permanently. Because she knew, she always knew, and he fucking hated it.

He would come to regret this surely.

He found that he didn’t care at the moment.

He hit the button and played the video.

And there she was. In all her glory. Those smooth thighs rippling, as she hefted another above her.

_ Rin _ .

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is there anything funnier, than the idea that Iazyoi and Inukimi might be best friends?


End file.
